A review by savorywaffles
The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami

2.0

When I was young, I didn't think about people dying. But when you get to be my age, people can drop dead, just like that. In an accident. From an illness. By their own hand. By someone else's hand. Or just naturally. People die much more easily at this age than when they are young.
They might drop dead right at the moment when you blamed them for something. They might die the very next day.
Or a month later. Or smack in the middle of the following sea-son. In any case, you never know when people of ripe age will just croak. It keeps you up at night.
Having to worry about whether someone is healthy enough to tolerate my fierce hatred or criticism before I decide to blame them that's what I call getting old. Masayo gave a somewhat serious sigh. But she had a smile on her face. I would never understand her.
Masayo wrapped up by saying, "That's why, when I haven't heard from someone for a while, the first thing that occurs to me is that they might have just keeled over?'